noun
resection
Determining a position by taking measurements to known points.
The surveyor uses resection to determine her position from known landmarks.
Etymology
Surveying uses the cutting image for intersecting lines of sight. Resection determines an observer's position by working back from measurements to known points.
More examples
- Resection requires measurements to points whose positions are already known.
- We use resection to locate our campsite on the map.
- The crew performs two independent resections to check the station's coordinates.
Forms
resection · resections
Similar words
- triangulation
- Determines positions using triangles, not necessarily locating the observer.
- intersection
- Locates an unknown point through observations from known stations.